The focus on driving up the quality and productivity of healthcare through innovation means that now, more than ever, NHS staff need a good understanding of the fundamentals of quality improvement in order to deliver successful improvement projects.

The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement works closely with organisations across the NHS to support staff in their efforts to improve both the quality of patient care and the productivity of healthcare services they provide.

Our extensive research into the challenges facing the NHS on a local, regional and national level has enabled us to develop a suite of products designed to help NHS organisations build the capacity and capability for quality improvement.

The fundamentals for quality improvement provide NHS staff with a solid foundation in quality and service improvement methods and techniques and a range of tools with which to design and implement effective and sustainable improvement projects.

The products in this suite, which are free of charge to the NHS in England, are:

A searchable online library of quality and service improvement tools

A step-by-step guide to tackling your challenges

The handbook of quality and service improvement tools

Seven ways to no delays

Improving patient flow in the NHS – case studies on reducing delays

A handy guide to facilitation

The facilitator’s toolkit

Organisations wishing to further advance the quality and service improvement skills of their clinical and operational staff may be interested in the Organising for quality and value: delivering improvement learning and development programme.

Use the right-hand menu to navigate your way around the fundamentals for quality improvement.